Rodrigo, using stealth tactics, slowly infiltrated the camp; like a silent serpent, he took advantage of the night and the soldiers’ drunkenness to take them down one by one, without having to kill them.

  However, at the center of the camp, he realized that some soldiers hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, as they were devout Muslims. On top of that, the place was brightly lit by several bonfires, so he would have to fight his way through.

  “Is it my imagination, or do I hear less noise in the camp?”

  said one of the soldiers, who easily stood at six feet tall and had a thick beard.

  “Yes, this is suspicious,” answered another guard, shorter and missing an eye.

  “I think we’re under attack at night.”

  The guards—eight in total—grabbed their spears and went on high alert, while Rodrigo watched them from behind a tent. He also caught sight of a cave in the distance, where he heard deep cries coming from within.

  “The townspeople are in there!”

  Rodrigo thought quickly.

  But it didn’t take long before a spear pierced through the tent. Rodrigo barely managed to dodge it.

  “Ah, I found a rat here,”

  said the towering soldier as he pulled back the weapon from the other side of the fabric.

  Rodrigo looked around in frustration.

  “Damn it, I’ll have to fight,”

  Rodrigo thought. But at that moment, four more soldiers appeared behind the giant.

  “I’ll have to make use of every skill I’ve got,”

  the young warrior told himself as he prepared to battle.

  The soldiers immediately stared at the young man.

  “Sir,” one of the subordinates said,

  “that boy’s face matches the face of the genie who attacked the castle at midday!”

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Then the Sultan will surely reward me with gold and slaves if I deliver this filthy demon’s head,”

  the tall man replied confidently, pulling his spear back to strike Rodrigo.

  “Come here, boy! Show me your demonic powers!”

  the massive guard roared.

  Rodrigo lunged toward the giant soldier, but the man struck him with his left arm, knocking him to the ground. The guard tried to impale him with the spear, but Rodrigo rolled across the dirt, narrowly avoiding the attacks. He quickly got back on his feet, staying in a fighting stance.

  “Is this the power of a jinn? Don’t make me laugh,”

  the giant scoffed, while Rodrigo began to grow impatient.

  The guard charged at him, and Rodrigo spotted an opening. Swiftly, he dodged the spear, grabbed the giant’s arm, and using his opponent’s own weight, threw him to the ground. Rodrigo immediately stabbed the soldier’s hand that gripped the spear, but noticed the other guards preparing to attack. Thinking fast, he hauled the giant up and held him as a hostage.

  “I came for the slaves, I don’t want any more trouble!”

  Rodrigo shouted. But the giant wasn’t beaten yet—he swung his arm with tremendous force and hurled Rodrigo several meters away.

  “Damn brat!”

  the soldier cursed, trying to grasp his spear with his wounded hand. Rodrigo, however, slashed him across the back with his sword.

  The other soldiers charged at the young warrior, but he dodged their attacks, slashing at tendons and arms to disable them. The giant still wasn’t finished and tried to crush Rodrigo with his enormous body, but the youth barely evaded the strike. Seizing the chance while the giant was on the ground, Rodrigo knocked him out with a blow to the back of the neck using his sword’s hilt.

  But the victory didn’t last. When Rodrigo looked up, the one-eyed soldier was standing before him, flanked by a group of archers aiming their arrows at him.

  “Surrender now, boy—you’re surrounded.”

  The archers were about to fire when the moon shone with a brilliance unlike anything ever seen before, blinding them just long enough to miss their shots. Seizing the confusion, Rodrigo rushed toward the one-eyed guard, toppled him with a knee strike, and dashed into the cave.

  When the soldiers regained their sight, they realized the boy had vanished.

  “Surround the cave! The slaves are our priority!”

  the one-eyed guard bellowed as he rose, spitting blood from Rodrigo’s strike.

  The guards positioned themselves in front of the cave, aiming their arrows at the entrance. Rodrigo was trapped.

  Inside, citizens and children were confined in cages, and when they saw Rodrigo, they cried and begged him for help. He tried to calm them, assuring them that everything would be all right. But deep down, he knew he couldn’t escape without his divine powers. Yet if he used them, Tania would surely punish him—and then the slaves would never be saved. He didn’t know what to do.